RoadRacingworld.com Suzuki Release: Villa Re-Injured at Fontana

Roadracingworld.com Suzuki's Santiago Villa re-injured his left collarbone during the opening practice session at Auto Club Speedway on Friday. Despite his best efforts, the Colombian racer will not be able to participate in this weekend's AMA Pro Road Racing action in Fontana, CA.

Villa, who injured his shoulder prior to the Daytona season opener during at CCS event at Homestead Miami Speedway when another rider collided with him and caused him to highside, suffered this weekend's injury without ever hitting the ground. The screws on his plated collarbone came loose and he re-broke the bone and suffered an additional break while wrenching his GSX-R600 through the Turn 1 chicane.

"I was feeling okay recently -- I was even doing some practice in my country -- but the change of direction at this track is very hard," Villa explained. "I started feeling a little bit of pain during the first session. Then in the last lap of practice, when I took Turn 1 and I went to change direction, I felt something pop inside and I couldn't even ride the bike anymore. I came into the pits and told them that something was really wrong, maybe a muscle or something.

"I wanted to race. I tried to qualify yesterday but I couldn't even get out of the garage, it was too painful. I went to the hospital and they did an x-ray and apparently the screws came loose and re-broke the collarbone and broke it in another place.

"I went to Dr. (Thomas) Bryan, Mat Mladin's doctor, and he saw me and said it wasn't possible for me to race at least for six weeks. Apparently I will miss some races and it's a real shame because I was really looking forward to this season. But it is what it is."

Villa is scheduled to undergo surgery on Monday in the US but is determined to battle his way back from injury stronger than ever yet again.